An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG II

Abstract

A revised and updated classification for the families of the flowering plants is provided. Newly adopted orders include Austrobaileyales, Canellales, Gunnerales, Crossosomatales and Celastrales. Pertinent literature published since the first APG classification is included, such that many additional families are now placed in the phylogenetic scheme. Among these are Hydnoraceae (Piperales), Nartheciaceae (Dioscoreales), Corsiaceae (Liliales), Triuridaceae (Pandanales), Hanguanaceae (Commelinales), Bromeliacae, Mayacaceae and Rapateaceae (all Poales), Barbeuiaceae and Gisekiaceae (both Caryophyllales), Geissolomataceae, Strasburgeriaceae and Vitaceae (unplaced to order, but included in the rosids), Zygophyllaceae (unplaced to order, but included in eurosids I), Bonnetiaceae, Ctenolophonaceae, Elatinaceae, Ixonanthaceae, Lophopyxidaceae, Podostemaceae (Malpighiales), Paracryphiaceae (unplaced in euasterid II), Sladeniaceae, Pentaphylacaceae (Ericales) and Cardiopteridaceae (Aquifoliales). Several major families are recircumscribed. Salicaceae are expanded to include a large part of Flacourtiaceae, including the type genus of that family; another portion of former Flacourtiaceae is assigned to an expanded circumscription of Achariaceae. Euphorbiaceae are restricted to the uniovulate subfamilies; Phyllanthoideae are recognized as Phyllanthaceae and Oldfieldioideae as Picrodendraceae. Scrophulariaceae are recircumscribed to include Buddlejaceae and Myoporaceae and exclude several former members; these are assigned to Calceolariaceae, Orobanchaceae and Plantaginaceae. We expand the use of bracketing families that could be included optionally in broader circumscriptions with other related families; these include Agapanthaceae and Amaryllidaceae in Alliaceae s.l., Agavaceae, Hyacinthaceae and Ruscaceae (among many other Asparagales) in Asparagaceae s.l., Dichapetalaceae in Chrysobalanaceae, Turneraceae in Passifloraceae, Erythroxylaceae in Rhizophoraceae, and Diervillaceae, Dipsacaceae, Linnaeaceae, Morinaceae and Valerianaceae in Caprifoliaceae s.l. © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2003, 141, 399–436.

Evolution of pollen morphology in Loranthaceae

“…Ximenia (Ximeniaceae) pollen shows the same general morphological features than the reticulate pollen seen in most Strombosiaceae and Erythropalaceae (Maguire et al 1974; Feuer 1977). That the same basic pollen type is shared by various early diverging lineages of the Santalales (formerly included in the ‘Olacaceae s.l .’ grade; Feuer 1977; APG 2003) indicates that the 3-colpate, triangular bipyramidal-spheroidal pollen grains with psilate-perforate to reticulate sculpturing represent the most primitive pollen type of the Santalales. This primitive type has been conserved in these early diverging lineages (primary divergences have been dated to c .…”

A new hybrid from Taiwan, Elatostema ×hybrida (Urticaceae), is the first confirmed natural hybrid for Urticaceae

“…54 genera and 2,600 species (including Cecropiaceae) (APG II 2003, APG III 2009 and is widely distributed from tropical to temperate regions with a centre of diversity in tropical Asia. Most Urticaceae species have minute unisexual flowers with a reduced perianth, which makes hypotheses of morphological homology very difficult (Monro 2006).…”

A monograph of the Anisophylleaceae (Cucurbitales) with description of 18 new species of Anisophyllea

“…Molecular data and floral structure showed that Anisophylleaceae are closest to the Cucurbitales (Setoguchi et al 1999, Schwarzbach & Ricklefs 2000, Matthews et al 2001, Zhang et al 2006, 2007, Schaefer & Renner 2011 and modern classifications accept the family as a member of the Cucurbitales (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group 1998Group , 2003Group , 2009). …”